


Sunrise

by TentacleBubbles



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Helios - Freeform, M/M, Matsuhanaiwaoi, Multi, Sun God, Witches, because I apparently cannot be confined to a one-shot now, ennoshita cameo, other characters hinted at, sun motifs, technically a prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-13 21:14:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16479875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TentacleBubbles/pseuds/TentacleBubbles
Summary: It started with a retired sun god who just wanted some peace and quiet. It started with a witch who knew a little too much. It started with an immortal who just moved into town. It started with a grocer not quite human. But really, it started with the sun god and the ones revolving around him.The start of an adventure in four perspectives.ORThe prequel to a modern urban fantasy roadtrip fic complete with vague warnings, subtle puns, and mutual pining all around. Semi-edited.





	Sunrise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nightshade002](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightshade002/gifts).



> A gift to theprettysettersclub on tumblr for the haikyuu fantasy fic exchange!! I am admittedly not quite satisfied with how this turned out, but I hope you enjoy regardless!!

Helios had retired a very long time ago, but he still woke at the first rays of dawn.

It was tiring, to be awake as soon as the sun was up, to be tortured by the sight of a throne that was once his. He’d had millennia to get used to it, of course. Now, as he watched the sun peak over the mountains in the distance, all he felt was the weary ache of an old scar.

The old god pulled the curtains closed, covering a yawn as he shuffled around the house, gathering his things; keys, wallet, bag. Retirement lead to a rather mundane routine, changed only by human culture and the ever fickle whim he would sometimes be lucky enough to get. But somehow he found himself… content.

As soon as he locked the door to his house—his normal sized, normal looking house—his neighbour greeted him.

“Good morning, Matsukawa-san!”

He looked up at the sound of his name—his normal, small town name because that was what he’d become—and smiled.

“Good morning, Ennoshita-kun.”

Ennoshita Chikara smiled, and continued watering his garden. It had been a sprawling thing back when Matsukawa Issei first moved into town, a few years ago. Bushes lined the yard, vines crawled over the side of the house like something possessive.

Now it was nearing a jungle. The stone walkway was always cleared, but everywhere there was earth there grew plants and flowers of all kinds. The yard was flanked by two great oaks, shade spilling over the neighbouring houses like friendly warnings. Windows peaked out of walls thick with crawling vines, blooming into purples and reds and yellows in the spring.

Helios—Issei his name was Issei now, he wasn’t surprised by this. But as he took his morning walk, he wondered yet again if his neighbour knew that nature was courting him.

The walk from his house to his work place was short, such was the nature of small towns. It was enough to pass by a third of the town’s inhabitants who were already awake, of course.

The baker, who had a charming smile and an even more charming cat. The tailor with golden eyes, who wove clothes as well as they wove tales of fantasy lands _just_ a little too accurate to be unreal. The little librarian, with her soft, soft snowy presence and warm companionship. The pair of odd young men, contrasting as night and day, rarely seen without each other. They went to the college a town over but always, _always_ found a way to be around.

The grocer, for whom Issei worked. Sometimes Issei wondered if his employer was the true sun god, so full of warmth and life that he paled in comparison. One of the reasons he had admittedly stayed in this small town that was maybe not entirely human.

“Good morning, Iwaizumi,” Issei greeted as he entered their store, smiling as warmly as he was able so early in the day.

“Hey, Matsukawa,” Iwaizumi Hajime waved at him from over the counter, “I made stir fry again. You brought the bread?”

“Of course,” Issei went over to the counter, raising the drawstring bag he carried, “I would never forget.”

This was what made Issei, despite everything, content. The little things that were part of his normal, human routine.

Their little breakfast ritual; the bread he had that always tasted and felt like it was fresh from the oven, sun warmth; the food Iwaizumi liked to make, rich and full of life just like him. Iwaizumi talking about the vegetables he grew, the animals he kept. Talking about what gossip could be scraped up in town, what event could be held.

The little bell above the door jingled, signalling the arrival of Issei’s second favourite part of his routine.

“Good morning, my favourite townsfolk!” the man that entered their little store was vibrant, with energy to match. Issei could see the magic hanging off of him in tendrils soft and pink as his hair, but he was too polite to ask about them. Or he never had the courage.

“Morning, Hanamaki,” Iwaizumi gave him his sunshine smile, bright and amused, “What do you need?”

“Just your presence, baby,” Hanamaki said, grin holding an air of mystery that never failed to fascinate Issei. When the man directed the grin at him, Issei couldn’t help but feel as if Hanamaki knew something he didn’t. Something amusing.

“And you too, Sunshine,” he said, and Issei had to snort. He’s certain Hanamaki knew nothing, but the nickname was still ironic. He loved it.

“Always a pleasure,” Issei told him, gesturing to their little breakfast, “care to join us?”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Hanamaki joined them, accepting the sandwich Iwaizumi offered, “so! Have you heard of our newest neighbour?”

“You mean someone actually moved _into_ town?” Iwaizumi huffed out a laugh, “who are they? Where’d they move?”

“The little cottage near mine,” Hanamaki gestured with his sandwich, “the one that’s always ‘for rent’ remember? Someone finally rented it. I hear he’s a writer.”

Issei hummed in interest.

“When did he arrive?” he asked.

“Just yesterday.”

Issei exchanged a look with Hanamaki, both of them grinning in silent agreement. They turned to face Iwaizumi, still with their grins.

“We should totally welcome him to town,” Hanamaki suggested.

“Oh no, what are you two planning?” Iwaizumi frowned, or well, frowned harder.

“Nothing dangerous, of course!” Issei assured him.

Unfortunately it didn’t seem like Iwaizumi was assured much. He began tidying up and putting away their breakfast.

“Yeah okay. I’m coming with you guys to make sure you don’t scare the poor writer away.”

It had been a long while since Issei had felt an itch for mischief. He’d rather not waste it, no matter what his Iwaizumi said.

\---

Oikawa Tooru was a simple man. He sees something he likes, and he takes it. Life’s a lot more complicated than just that, of course, but it all boiled down to the same thing. He liked it, he wanted it, he took it.

He saw the ad online, some half cousin’s relative’s social media finding its way to his. One thing led to another and now he’s spending a year in a quaint rural town, renting an honest-to-goodness cottage. At least it had wi-fi.

One other thing going for it was that it put Tooru in a very deep writing mood. The front garden provided an ornate marble table and fancy iron chairs under the shade of an ancient oak tree probably older than Tooru by a good hundred years. It was perfect for having breakfast under. And by breakfast, of course, Tooru meant having his third cup of coffee while typing away at his laptop.

If the rest of Tooru’s year would be this peaceful, he’d have half his book done. As it were, tempting the fates like that never ended well.

“Hey there new neighbour!”

Tooru looked up from his laptop, to be met with three grown men leaning over his fancy stone three foot wall and his not so fancy heavy, wooden three foot gate. Well, two were leaning over it, one was just standing to the side with his arms crossed and a slightly frowny face.

“Hello,” Tooru said, with a raised brow.

“We just wanted to say hi!” one of them said—the one who caught Tooru’s attention. He had pink hair, and a playful grin that promised Tooru he wouldn’t regret paying more attention, “welcome you to town and all that.”

If Tooru remembered correctly, this was his next door neighbour Hanamaki Takahiro, the only other guy at this edge of town, with his own quaint cottage and a strange vegetable garden.

“Are you settled in okay?” the other one leaning over the gate asked, chin in hand. His expression screamed boredom but his eyes gleamed with curiosity. Something Tooru himself was definitely tempted by.

“Yes, I got my essentials all sorted out,” Tooru gave them a cheerful smile, all the while beginning to wonder. “The rest of my stuff won’t arrive until tomorrow.”

“We’ll help you carry the heavier stuff,” Hanamaki offered, “We have some very strong men with us today. Isn’t that right?”

He turned to his two companions, the one with curious eyes laughing and shaking his head.

“Iwaizumi, yes. But me? I’m not really the heavy lifting type,” he said, “I’m always up for watching, though.”

Somehow, as Tooru thought of words and prose to describe the way he leaned over the wall with quiet confidence and steady grace, Tooru doubted his words. Surely someone looking like a modern Greek god had strength enough to lift a few boxes.

“Don’t just offer up my services out of the blue like that,” the frowny face man finally spoke, except he was smiling more than frowning by then. He nodded at Tooru, saying, “hope we’re not overwhelming you. Welcome to town, my name’s Iwaizumi Hajime. I work at the grocery store in the town square.”

Tooru hadn’t had a chance to look around yet, but he was already positive Iwaizumi had the _only_ grocery store in town. All the better, he didn’t have to make any excuse to visit.

“Ah, yes! How could I forget introductions?” Curious Eyes said, standing up from his perch over the gate. He gave a graceful half bow, “Matsukawa Issei, a pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh I’m sure the pleasure is all mine,” Tooru said, finding himself _charmed_ by the introduction, “Oikawa Tooru. Please take care of me during my stay here.”

“Oh? How long are you staying?” Iwaizumi asked.

“A year, or until I finish my book,” Tooru glanced between his three visitors and his laptop.

“Did we interrupt you?” Matsukawa asked, brows furrowed.

“Oh no, I was just about to take a break,” Tooru lied with a cheeky grin, “care to join me? I got fancy city sweets.”

The three men exchanged looks, automatically making Tooru doubt himself. But then, they turned and gave him grins and nods.

That’s how Tooru found himself serving coffee and some of the ‘Finally Leaving the Nest’ chocolates his mom gave him to a bunch of really hot guys in his new front yard.

“So, tell me _all_ about the town gossip,” Tooru said, only half-exaggerating his interest, “any cryptids? Ghost stories? Alien sightings maybe?”

“Oh sweetheart, you have no idea,” Hanamaki said, though somehow that made Iwaizumi laugh.

“There’s literally nothing like any of those in this town, don’t trick him,” he said, turning to give Tooru a wry smile, “I’m pretty sure your arrival is the most interesting thing that’s happened to this town in years.”

“Why, Iwa-chan! I’m flattered,” Tooru couldn’t help saying, giggling when it became obvious that Iwaizumi didn’t know how to react. Matsukawa and Hanamaki had no such problems.

“That is so adorable,” Matsukawa laughed, hard enough he had to put his cup of coffee down or risk spilling it. His laugh was like a summer breeze the way it made Tooru feel so pleasantly warm.

“I’m using that from now on,” Hanamaki added, grin growing wider the more Iwaizumi frowned at him.

“Do you give nicknames to everyone?” Iwaizumi asked then, perhaps an attempt at pushing the attention away from him.

“Only to people I like,” Tooru answered, pairing his statement with a wink. (A split second decision, one he hoped he wouldn’t regret.) (He was already regretting it.)

Hanamaki laughed again, and suddenly Tooru remembered their short conversation yesterday when he had just arrived.

“Is that why I’m ‘Makki’ now?” he asked, chin in hand.

“I didn’t see you complaining yesterday,” Tooru pointed out, getting a bit flustered himself with all the attention.

“Hey now, I’m starting to feel left out,” Matsukawa joked, his smile small. Tooru immediately leaned towards him empathically. How did he forget to give Curious Eyes a nickname sooner?

“Oh, I didn’t mean to do that, Mattsun,” he said, gesturing to everyone at the table, “I’m hoping we’ll _all_ get along, of course!”

Meanwhile, Iwaizumi was looking between the three of them with narrowed eyes.

“I can’t believe there’s three of you now.”

Tooru joined in Hanamaki and Matsukawa’s laughter, feeling positively warmth.

In the thousand or so years he’s lived on this earth, he didn’t think he liked anything as much as he liked this.

\---

Iwaizumi Hajime had lived his entire life in this town. Granted, he couldn’t remember much from his earlier years, but he’s quite positive he’s lived here since he was born.

He still remembered the time he first met Hanamaki. They were both teens, Hanamaki moving into town to study under old Irihata. There were rumours that he was a witch but Hajime’s pretty sure Irihata’s just a botanist. Hajime himself was beginning to take over for his father’s grocery store at the time.

Then five years later Matsukawa moved to town, looking tired and weary and in need of a friend. Hanamaki latched onto him almost as fast as he had Hajime, and he couldn’t blame him. There was just something so warm and calming about Matsukawa.

And now, a few years later still, someone like Oikawa Tooru strolled into their lives, claiming a spot in their group as if it had been ready made for him. He was loud, louder than Hanamaki, and twice as mischievous as Matsukawa. They all seemed to forget that they were supposed to be grown adults at times, Hajime included.

Another thing Oikawa’s arrival brought was a realization Hajime supposed he should’ve had way earlier. Something he’s not sure he should entertain, and yet.

He looked over at Matsukawa, laughing at something Oikawa said. His general air of weary disinterest never truly left him, but it was muted more and more as the years passed by. What replaced it was a steady vibrancy that reminded Hajime of the sunrise on cold mornings, a kind of chilly warmth in between spring and winter.

Hanamaki said something, no doubt teasing, causing Oikawa to pout and protest. Hajime’s reminded of the rumours of tricky witches, and not for the first time he wondered if Hanamaki really was magic in some way. He was always open and casual with affection and emotion, ironically making him more mysterious than if he hid his intentions.

He liked them, Hajime was reminded. He really, really liked them. And it took a complete stranger who felt like an old friend to flirt with them for him to realize it.

Oikawa noticed him staring, and gave a sly grin.

“Am I too pretty, Iwa-chan?” he asked.

Hajime scoffed but didn’t answer. Oikawa didn’t need to know he was right, even if only partially.

He also doesn’t hate Oikawa, whose advances certainly extend to the others previously mentioned. He didn’t think he _could_ hate Oikawa, not when he’d already seemed to favour Hajime’s home grown fruits and talked about his writing like they were his most prized creations.

“Are you going to pay for that?” he asked instead, gesturing to the items Hajime had already bagged for him.

“Ah, of course,” Oikawa dug around his pockets for his wallet, preoccupied with the conversation he still held with the other two.

“As I was saying, the town’s very nice,” he continued, “it’s really different from the city I came from! I can’t possibly explain it better than if I bring you guys there myself, though.”

“You’ve only been here two days and you want to leave already?” Hanamaki asked, amused.

“Hahah,” Oikawa rolled his eyes at him, finally locating his wallet, “you know I don’t mean it like that.”

“Tell you what, stay here for two years instead of one,” Hanamaki offered, grin short of cheeky, “then we’ll see if we want to go to the city with you.”

Hajime wasn’t sure what led to this conversation, too distracted by the conversationalists. But he thought he’d definitely like it if Oikawa stuck around longer.

“Deal!” Oikawa agreed, maybe a little too easily, “It’ll be like a fun road trip!”

Hajime couldn’t remember the last time he even visited the nearest city, he’s lived in this town all his life. It was a bit daunting to imagine just leaving.

He wouldn’t mind as long as the others would be with him if he did.

\---

Hanamaki Takahiro had a problem.

Well, several problems that all kind of connect with each other.

First off, he liked exactly three (3) people, which wasn’t really a problem because he’s pretty sure they all liked each other, too. The problem was that they didn’t know it yet and it felt unfair if he didn’t give them a chance to figure it out for themselves.

A second problem was that none of them were actually… people. ‘A sun god, an immortal and a witch walk into an unknown creature’s grocery store’ sounded like the beginning of a rather complicated joke, but the punch line was really just ‘and then they all fell in love.’ (He didn’t know what Iwaizumi was, but from the looks of it neither did Iwaizumi himself.)

Not that that stopped Takahiro from making jokes anyway.

“Well if it isn’t my favourite townsfolk!” he greeted, mildly surprised at seeing the three causes of his problems at his doorstep so early in the morning. More specifically at the fancy stone wall that separated his and Oikawa’s temporary property.

(That was another problem not yet solved, how to get Oikawa to stay permanently rather than just for two measly years.)

“What brings such beautiful deities to the humble abode of a mortal like me?” he asked, and immediately had to keep himself from laughing at the way two out of his three visitors stiffened just slightly.

“Oikawa insisted we hold an ‘emergency’ meeting,” Iwaizumi said, oblivious to his two companions’ plight.

“Ah, no well you see!” Oikawa latched onto the topic, and oh why did Takahiro find that adorable?

“I was texting Mattsun,” he said, pulling Matsukawa closer by the arm, “because he’s the only one who’s answering my texts and is my new favourite person out of all of you—”

“It was four in the morning, of course I wouldn’t answer,” Iwaizumi grumbled, but Oikawa simply stuck his tongue out at him before continuing.

“And I found out he doesn’t wanna go to the road trip with us!”

“All I said was that I wasn’t too keen on it,” Matsukawa protested, stifling a yawn, “besides, it’s still two years from now, isn’t it?”

Takahiro watched as he made no move to separate himself from Oikawa. In fact, he’s pretty sure Matsukawa was close to leaning against him.

“I gotta agree on Matsukawa on this one,” Iwaizumi shrugged, “two years is a pretty long time to hold on to a commitment like that.”

Takahiro hummed as he made his way over to the other three.

“We can always just go earlier,” he suggested, perching himself on the wall, “say, a month from now? It’ll be just in time for Matsukawa’s birthday, let’s make a celebration out of it. What do you think, Sunshine?”

Oikawa grinned wide, and Takahiro could’ve sworn his eyes twinkled in delight and maybe a little bit of mischief.

“Your birthday!” he exclaimed, jostling Matsukawa, “why didn’t you say it was so close? Let’s do it! Do you wanna do it?”

Takahiro watched in bemusement as Oikawa convinced Matsukawa to agree, shrugging innocently when the latter snuck a suspicious frown at him.

In truth, he’d absolutely love to go on that city-slash-road trip adventure with them. And this way, it lined perfectly with the birthday Matsukawa claimed (or maybe it really was his day of birth, Takahiro had never thought to ask) and the warnings he may or may not have received from a certain local seer with a charming pet cat.

Takahiro had taken a little sneak peak at their fates himself with no small amount of divination and knew it was intertwined. He didn’t know how or why yet, but he was excited to find out.

“I don’t know,” Matsukawa avoided meeting their gazes, “I kind of like just staying here in this town. I’m fine here.”

Takahiro felt like he meant something else with that, but for once he couldn’t quite figure out what.

“Hey, it’s not like we won’t be coming back,” Iwaizumi said, his own brand of comfort, “but if you really don’t want to, we don’t have to. Don’t let yourself get carried away by Oikawa.”

“No, no, it’s not that I don’t want to,” Matsukawa glanced at him, and Takahiro’s rarely seen him look so hesitant. “But what if something happened?”

And thus the third (fourth?) problem in Takahiro’s list. It was a very loaded question, because of what ‘something’ could mean. Something dangerous? Something like an adventure? Something _between the four of them_? Knowing what Takahiro knew, he’d say yeah all of those were very likely to happen.

The possibilities were endless. It was kind of scary.

“So what if it does?” Oikawa said, not unkindly, “Whatever happens, we’ll just deal with it and have fun! Or go home, if you want. Either way, we won’t know until we go.”

Matsukawa began withering under their combined attention. Takahiro immediately felt guilty for perhaps pushing too far, and clapped his hands in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

“Hey, Sunshine, I don’t think you’ve met my cat yet,” he said, knowing full well he found Puffers and Matsukawa sleeping in a patch of sunlight together just last week. He turned to Oikawa, “you too, your highness! Come on, he’s probably somewhere inside.”

Needless to say, it was a poorly concealed attempt, but a successful one. Puffers was an attention loving cat, and she did have overwhelming approval for both Iwaizumi and Matsukawa (and Oikawa once they’ve gotten past the ‘hello who are you?’ stage). Takahiro liked to think he and his familiar shared the same tastes.

So yeah, Takahiro had several problems all kind of connected to each other. And he got the feeling that this was just the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah! The actual roadtrip will be a separate fic that will come sometime in the future, and hopefully will be better written. Also watch out for art!! On my tumblr art blog Tentytarts, that is.
> 
> uhh, thoughts?


End file.
